Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Privatizing golf courses.............it's a good thing

Where does it say in our Constitution that I must pay for a government run golf course or an apple orchard? And in our part of the country, the season is short. Have we ever seen costs go down in any government program, no, always up and expanded, never ended. Since the government is broke, it only goes to reason that privatizing such businesses would save money and help small businesses, who pay the taxes??????? Once this is established, we can work on redoing the pension fiasco and maybe revisit consultant expenses....

Bollen said the Parks Commission hired a consultant two years ago to evaluate the city-owned course and look at different management scenarios. The resulting 24-page report critiqued the course and recommended the city consider outsourcing its operation. Bollen said the report has been the impetus for the commission's decision to weigh other options.

"These were things we probably needed to be told to us as a city," he said.

Salem resident and course regular John Galaris said he supports the idea of seeking options but believes the course should be run by the city.

"I give the commissioners a pat on the back for doing their due diligence for going out and considering it," he said. "I don't think that's a bad idea at all."

While he said there's certainly room for improvement at Olde Salem Greens, the city reaps substantial revenue from it.

Salem's course generates about $550,000 a year in revenue and has about $330,000 in expenses, according to the city budget.